Little Things

Sometimes the things going on in my life, both good and bad, come at me so rapidly that I begin to feel overwhelmed and pointless. So many things going on and no time to process it all or deal with anything effectively. This past week has been filled with good things and some not so good. No major bad things, really just annoying difficulties that arise time to time in everyone's life but when I'm feeling ineffective and emotionally drained those minor things feel huge and insurmountable. When that happens it seems like I am always the recipient of some type of nice little surprise from a friend on the day I need it the most. It could be anything from a phone call to a box of cookies in the mail. Yesterday I was feeling like I was the most pointless, ineffective person ever to walk this earth. As I approached my front door upon returning home from work, planning in my head a little pity party over lunch, I saw something on the chair on the porch. It was a stack of small books tied with a ribbon and a note attached. It was from a friend who shares a love of those little books with me. My day suddenly was wonderful! The books vary from bible verses to bless the home, pictures of Washington, DC, to Chinese Proverbs. My favorite among the books is a beautiful one about friendship, which was in the middle of the stack.  It was such a nice surprise to find that gift by the front door. The seemingly smallest acts of kindness we do for our friends can make the biggest difference in how we feel and see ourselves. Sometimes even the most optimistic among us needs that little boost that says "you are important, you are wonderful, you are appreciated just because you are you". If you are thinking of doing something for someone just because you want to then I urge you to do it--write a note, bake some cookies, drop off a candy bar or pick up the phone and call. It may seem a small thing to you, but it could be just what someone needs to regroup and get on with this business of living.